Open to Hope Articles

Do you want to read stories of others who have been where you are? Are you looking for bereavement help, and advice? Look no further. We offer over 7,000 articles written by our Open to Hope authors.

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Every Person Has the Right to Grieve

Posted on August 25, 2021 - by Amy K.L. Busch

Every Person Has the Right to Grieve The title of one’s relationship does not dictate the depth of one’s grief.  Each and every person has a right to grieve and receive the support they need, regardless of the relationship to the person deceased. Six months after my brother Dan died, I attended a theatre performance.  Some of Dan’s fellow performers, people whom I had watched him perform with on the exact same stage, were performing in a humorous, almost goofy show.  Despite my volatile emotions, as I watched them do the very thing my little brother loved so much, I […]

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How to Help a Dying Spouse

Posted on August 8, 2021 - by Fred Colby

How Can We Help a Dying Spouse? There are so many ways to help a dying spouse. When my wife, Theresa, was in the hospital, one incident made me realize that little things can make a difference. One day, a masseuse came to Theresa’s hospital room and offered to give her a massage. She accepted the offer, even though she wasn’t inclined towards massages. She really enjoyed it and felt much better. The next day the masseuse came in and made the same offer. My wife was not feeling up to it. The masseuse then turned to me and offered […]

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Where Am I in My Grieving Process?

Posted on August 8, 2021 - by Fred Colby

“Where am I in my grieving process?” It’s a question most of us ask at some point, and it’s different for each of us. Possible Answers to ‘Where Am I in My Grieving Process?’ After the first six to 12 months, you might find yourself answering in one of these ways: I am still fully immersed in deep grieving! Crying every day, I miss her like hell, am angry at the world, feel desperately alone and have few if any friends or family I can talk to. I have finished the worst of my deep grieving. I am feeling better, […]

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Coping with Silence While Grieving

Posted on August 8, 2021 - by Harry Barry

Biggest Challenge May be the Silence While Grieving This is one of the most distressing but least discussed elements of loss: coping with silence while grieving. Countless people over decades have confided to me that the biggest change they experienced when someone they loved died was the silence. Never again will they hear the person they loved speak to them. Even more poignantly, never again will they be able to share with them all the news or gossip of the day. Or ask their advice or assistance on matters of import. This silence is most obviously felt by those who […]

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Advice for Those Who Have Lost a Parent

Posted on August 8, 2021 - by Harry Barry

It is important to recognize that each one us loses a “different” parent. This explains the variety of grief reactions in a family. Thus, it’s difficult to give universal advice for those who have lost a parent. Each child and adult will have a different relationship with their mother and father. This relationship, in turn, will depend on the individual personality of both parents and child, their place in the family, whether they are closer to one or other parent, and especially what memories have been built up about that parent. Love and Closeness are Not the Same It is […]

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Dealing with Guilt While Grieving

Posted on July 18, 2021 - by Peggy Bell

The road of grief is paved with many emotions. You can experience denial, shock, anger, fear, depression, and bargaining and guilt. You may not feel all of them, but one emotion many experience is the feeling of guilt. You may find that guilt while grieving comes at different stages of your process. Early Stage of Guilt While Grieving When you first lose your spouse, you may feel guilty about the fact that you are still here but your husband is not. You wonder how is that fair and sometimes even wish you had gone instead of him. So how do […]

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When Your Child Dies By Suicide

Posted on July 18, 2021 - by Harry Barry

This excerpt about when a child dies by suicide is from of Emotional Healing (Pegasus), by Dr. Harry Barry. Purchase it on Amazon. When a Child Dies by Suicide Those left behind in the wake of a suicide are sometimes called “suicide survivors”. This confusing term suggests that the person survived the attempt but in practice relates to the person or persons left behind following their death. It is no coincidence that the term survivor is used here as a description, for “survival” is the best that most parents can aim for, in the months and years that follow losing […]

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Helping a Widower After the Loss

Posted on July 18, 2021 - by Fred Colby

This article on helping a widower is excerpted from Widower to Widower, by Fred Colby. Purchase it on Amazon. Advice on Helping a Widower This portion of the book is meant for those of you who want to better understand or help someone who is about to or has recently lost his wife. Unless you are an experienced grief counselor, don’t give into your natural urges and start giving advice on how he should deal with his wife’s death. I found that others helped by letting me find my own solutions in my own way. Some helped me most by […]

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10 Ways for Coping with Grief Sadness

Posted on July 18, 2021 - by Harry Barry

This excerpt on coping with grief sadness is from Emotional Healing (Pegasus), by Fred Colby. Purchase it on Amazon. Coping with Grief Sadness How many of you reading this have found your heart torn into pieces, your emotional world exploded? No matter what words of comfort are offered by a friend or professional or therapist, there are no shortcuts to coping with “grief sadness”. There can be little doubt that the sadness that you may experience may on occasion bring you to your knees. My message of hope, however, is that over time, and with the assistance of this book, […]

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Healing Grief Through Nature

Posted on July 18, 2021 - by Michelle Kaisersatt

The Cancer Diagnosis At thirty wonderful years of marriage, my husband and I were revisiting the honeymoon stage. Kids enjoying their own adult lives, and us looking forward to adventures on the road – riding motorcycles and camping around the country. Then “Stage 4 Colon Cancer” was spoken. I am not the first in the world to deal with the emotional rollercoaster ride one experiences when a loved one is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. We put on our “Super Warrior” shield,  celebrating the ups, and standing strong and positive in the downs, while capping our own emotions. Not long […]

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